2024 Easter Card

May our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ bless you with unending life and joy.

May He Who conquered death and sin bestow upon you grace and favor.

May He give you mercy and peace in infinite measure.

Happy Easter, Everybody!

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Reclaiming And Proclaiming The Light

"Then God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light." (cf. Genesis 1:3)

There are parallels between the creation of the world and our salvation (one might even say our re-creation). For example, as creation was enveloped in darkness, so was its re-creation. Remember, darkness covered the earth in the beginning and also at the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The darkness in the beginning would not relent until God spoke. The darkness known as death, brought into the world by Original Sin, would not relent until God again spoke.

And what did God speak? In true Triune language, Himself. The Prologue of the Gospel of St. John captures the essence of this meaning. Word and Light came forth, as we profess in the Nicene Creed. Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, was present in both events, invisible at the first but incarnate at the second.

In fact, His triumph over sin and death is what we celebrate tonight. What better reminder of this fact than the juxtaposition of the two icons which entered the Church during Her liturgies--the Cross on Good Friday and the Pascal Candle tonight. Both will stop three times on their way to the altar, each accompanied by their respective proclamation and response. The wood of the Cross reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice made by Jesus for us; the wax and wick of the candle, the ultimate salvation won by Christ for us.

It may have been the ultimate darkness that particular Passover, but it didn't last.

"What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:3b-5)

"On this, your night of grace, O holy Father, accept this candle, a solemn offering,...this gift from your most holy Church."

Both the English and Latin forms of the chant are provided for your meditation.

Mercy's Novena Once More

We are all in need of mercy. Some of us are more aware of this fact than others (cf. Luke 18:9-14). If you are a saint who knows what a sinner looks like by your reflection in the mirror or a sinner who is absolutely sure your sainthood is guaranteed, this devotion is for you.

Once again the Divine Mercy Novena begins today. Details about it can be found here. I know of a nearby parish who will be praying this devotion this year. As a reminder, a plenary indulgence is granted.

"The law entered in so that transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more,..." (Romans 5:20).

And what greater grace than mercy?

The Not-So-Routine Routine

It is a familiar routine. At least it should be. But it will never be.

Tonight marks the beginning of Christianity's "High Holy Days", the Pascal Triduum. The echoes of the "Hosannas" heard on Palm Sunday no longer reverberate. For the next three days we commemorate the events leading to the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:  His Last Supper, agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, betrayal, two trials, Via Dolorosa, crucifixion, death, and burial.

We know about them, but do we really know them? How has the central mystery of our Faith formed us? How have we grown in our belief over the past Lenten season? We can and should spend our lifetimes meditating on these wonderous deeds, integrating them into our being. We are called to be holy, to be more as we were created, in the image and likeness of God; to be more Christ-like, more like the Father Who is perfect, Who we have seen because we have seen Jesus and he is one with the Father; to be more like the Trinity Who is love. All of this is encapsulated in the Pascal Mystery.

The Church's liturgy reflects this. There are not three separate celebrations but one continuous act of worship. Notice if you attend Holy Thursday's Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper and/or Good Friday's Liturgy of the Lord's Passion there are no words of dismissal. As His disciples, we are to follow Him in His final hours and keep vigil as He lays in the tomb to see if after three days the Temple has been rebuilt, that He has freely laid down His life and freely has taken it up again, either at the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter and/or Easter Sunday:  The Resurrection of the Lord.

The Upper Room is ready. So will be the Cross. So will be the Tomb. Are we?

The invitation awaits.

"Come and see."

Everlasting "Last Words"

Once again, Holy Week is upon us. We are reminded of our own fickleness and indifference toward our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at the Mass of Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, where the joyous cries of 
"Hosanna" during the procession do an abrupt 180 degree turn with the tone of the proclamation of the Liturgy of the Word, culminating with our gleeful screams of "Crucify Him" during the proclamation of the Passion narrative. Isn't our consistent inconsistency amazing?

So we now spend the next seven days contemplating what we have done to Him by "my fault, my fault, my most grievous fault". To hopefully aid in that meditation, I offer my very humble thoughts on the "Seven Last Words", the final sentences uttered upon the Cross by the Word made flesh. May they be a source of inspiration to you, either on their own or as a departure to other more eloquent reflections.

His hour has come.

Later today.

Take the time to ponder and wonder.

PM: Special Edition--Solemnity Of St. Joseph

Foster Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Patron Saint of the Universal Church. Terror of demons. The true strong, silent type. Invoked to avoid a sudden and unprovided death. (And my middle name.) What's not to like about the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary? We now interrupt our regularly scheduled Lenten penances to bring you these brief reflections:

The righteous man shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow up like the cedar of Lebanon; for he is planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God.

V. It is good to give praise to the Lord; and to sing in honor of your name.

Ps. 91:13-14; V. 2

Here the word "righteous" is synonymous with the word "just", an adjective commonly associated with St. Joseph (cf. Matt. 1:19). The introit also uses the cedar tree to indicate how strong he, and we, are if our being is rooted in God.

O Lord, you have gone ahead to meet him with goodly blessings; you have placed a crown of precious stones on his head.

V. He asked you for life, and you granted him length of days for ever and ever.

Ps. 20:4; V. 5

In the Gradual, we note what goodly blessings were bestowed on him in being the head of the Holy Family, staring with Jesus and Mary. Tradition holds his length of days ended just before the start of Jesus' public mission. And how great is his reward in Heaven because of this vocation.

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments.

V. His seed shall be mighty upon earth; the descendants of the righteous will be blessed.

V. Glory and wealth are in his house; and his righteousness endures for ever.

Ps. 111:1-3

The Tract acknowledges, "The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Wisdom 9:10) Joseph's knowledge of the Law through the Word and his just application of it brought him many graces. Those who emulate him as well as Jesus are the mighty; their glory, wealth, and justness will far outlive them on earth, but not in Heaven.

My fidelity and my mercy are with him; and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

Ps. 88:25

The Psalm from which this Offertory was taken (88:2-38) speak of Jesus directly. Since He had to come from the House of David, Joseph was chosen to graph the True Vine to this branch. It is through Christ that Joseph's name is exalted.

Joseph, son of David, fear not to receive Mary as your wife; for that which is conceived in her comes from the Holy Spirit.

Matt. 1:20

One of two options of Communion Antiphons, connected with the same Gospel proclamation. Happy are those who obey God, when the Father with the Spirit sends the Son. Joseph clearly received all the messages from the angel and, with all the trust attributive to Abraham, was blessed by doing the will of God.

My son, why have you treated us so? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you. How is it that your were seeking me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?

Lk. 2:48-50

The other option is associated with the finding of the Christ Child in the Temple (the other Gospel proclamation), just as it is with the Feast of the Holy Family. Jesus, as son of Joseph, was obedient to him on earth just as He was obedient to His Heavenly Father. Christ was about His Father's business in both His human and Divine natures. With the help of St. Joseph, may we be as well.

Most chaste heart of St. Joseph, intercede for us.

Imploring The Saint Of The Day

One of the original six litanies approved for public use by the Holy See prior to 2013, how appropriate it is to recite it on this day.

++++++++++

V. Lord, have mercy.

R. Lord, have mercy.

V. Christ, have mercy.

R. Christ, have mercy.

V. Lord, have mercy.

R. Lord, have mercy

V. God our Father in heaven.

R. Have mercy on us.

V. God the Son, Redeemer of the world.

R. Have mercy on us.

V. God the Holy Spirit.

R. Have mercy on us.

V. Holy Trinity, one God.

R. Have mercy on us.

V. Holy Mary,

R. Pray for us. (Repeat after each invocation.)

St. Joseph 

Noble son of the House of David 

Light of patriarchs 

Husband of the Mother of God 

Guardian of the Virgin 

Foster father of the Son of God 

Faithful guardian of Christ 

Head of the Holy Family 

Joseph, chaste and just 

Joseph, prudent and brave 

Joseph, obedient and loyal

Pattern of patience 

Lover of poverty

Model of workers 

Example to parents 

Guardian of virgins

Pillar of family life 

Comfort of the troubled 

Hope of the sick 

Patron of the dying

Terror of evil spirits 

Protector of the Church 

V. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world

R. Spare us. O Lord

V. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world

R. Graciously hear us. O Lord.

V. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world

R. Have mercy on us

V. God made him master of his household.

R. And put him in charge of all that he owned.

Let us pray:

O God, who in your inexpressible providence were pleased to choose Saint Joseph as spouse of the most holy Mother of your Son, grant, we pray, that we, who revere him as our protector on earth, may be worthy of his heavenly intercession. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Question For The Month

Since Easter falls on the last Sunday of the month this year, does that mean March enters like the Lion of Judah and exits like the Lamb of God? 

March 2024 Morning Offering Prayer Intention

Here is the intention for this month when prayer the Morning Offering:

For the Martyrs of Our Day, Witnesses to Christ. We pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world inflame the Church with their courage and missionary enthusiasm.

A reflection for this intention can be found here.